Judge drops some charges in tax assessor case

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. 
A San Bernardino County judge has dropped bribery and extortion charges against a former assistant tax assessor, saying prosecutors had failed to provide adequate evidence.

Judge Duke Rouse on Wednesday dismissed two counts of bribery, two counts of extortion and one count of committing a public officer crime against Jim Erwin. The San Bernardino Sun says the judge did provide prosecutors the ability to amend their complaint.

Erwin still is charged with conspiracy, bribing a legislative body member and forgery.

Prosecutors say Erwin and former Assessor Bill Postmus conspired with other officials to secure a $102 million settlement from the county to end four years of legal battle over who would pay for a flood-control basin on a developer's property.